Japan Opens Singapore Camp With Public Training
The national team held an open session at Bishan Stadium ahead of friendlies against Brazil and Paraguay next week.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Soccer
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Japan's national football team held an hour-long open training session at Bishan Stadium in Singapore on Nov 10, watched by around 300 attendees. The squad will face Brazil on Nov 14 and Paraguay on Nov 17 at the National Stadium.
Why it matters
The friendlies come as Japan prepares for a new phase after head coach Hajime Moriyasu announced he will step down following the Singapore matches. The open session gave fans direct access to the squad ahead of the tournament.
Japan lost 2-1 to Brazil in the World Cup round of 32 in Houston in June, and the Asian Cup has been postponed 11 months to December 2027. The source does not indicate what results the Singapore friendlies will produce.
The players
Hajime Moriyasu
Japan's head coach for eight years, who oversaw the team's rise from around 60th in the world to 17th and will step down after the Singapore friendlies.
Shunsuke Nakamura
Former Japan international midfielder who now serves as an assistant coach with the national team.
The details
Players including Zion Suzuki, Takumi Minamino and Takefusa Kubo were given time off to recover from club duties, while twelve players and around 20 staff, including Moriyasu and assistant Shunsuke Nakamura, attended the session. Fans received autographs and responses from players during rondo games and goalkeeping drills.
Timeline
June 2026: Japan lost 2-1 to Brazil at the World Cup in Houston.
Nov 10, 2026: Japan held its open training session at Bishan Stadium.
Nov 13-17, 2026: The Mizuho Blue Challenge tournament takes place in Singapore.
Nov 14, 2026: Japan plays Brazil at the National Stadium.
Nov 17, 2026: Japan plays Paraguay at the National Stadium.
Season Trajectory
Japan's exit to Brazil at the 2026 World Cup marks the close of Moriyasu's eight-year tenure, during which the team climbed from around 60th to 17th in the world. The Singapore friendlies now serve as a transition point before the Asian Cup, which has been pushed back to December 2027.
Fantasy and betting followers tracking Japan's players will see Suzuki, Minamino and Kubo back in the squad after their club-duty rest. The Singapore results will also indicate how the team is shaping up under its current staff before the coaching change.
The takeaway
Japan's coaching transition follows an eight-year run that lifted the team into the top 20 of world rankings. Readers following the program should watch the Singapore results for early signals of the direction the next staff may take.
What happens next
Japan plays Brazil on Nov 14 and Paraguay on Nov 17 at the National Stadium in Singapore.
Further reading
For more on the team's trajectory, see our Soccer coverage.
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